MP Alleges Fertiliser Shortage in Rajshahi, Agriculture Minister Says Stocks Are Higher Than Last Year

A disagreement over fertiliser shortage surfaced at a stakeholders' consultation meeting on fertiliser, seed, irrigation, fisheries and livestock, and overall agricultural production and management across the eight districts of Rajshahi Division. At the meeting, a BNP member of parliament alleged that farmers are facing a fertiliser shortage. Rejecting the allegation, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said stocks in the country are higher than last year and there is no fertiliser crisis.

The meeting was held on Wednesday night (4 November) at the conference room of the Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner. Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid attended as chief guest, while Rajshahi-6 MP and district BNP convener Abu Sayeed Chand was present as special guest.

At the meeting, Abu Sayeed Chand said farmers, including women, stand in line for hours to collect fertiliser, often losing a day's wage of 400 to 500 taka in the process. He said, 'Some farmers are getting only half a sack or one maund of fertiliser although their land needs more. I am a farmer myself and I live in a village. I see what suffering the farmers are going through. Whatever the dealers say, there is a fertiliser crisis in Rajshahi.'

The MP especially called for increasing the supply of triple superphosphate (TSP) fertiliser, saying it is particularly important for onion and garlic cultivation. Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension at the meeting also requested the minister to increase the fertiliser allocation for the current season.

Abu Sayeed Chand alleged that some traders, caught repeatedly smuggling fertiliser, continue their activities after paying small fines. Citing an incident in his own area, he said a dealer had been fined only 5,000 taka despite being caught smuggling fertiliser multiple times. Saying such punishment is not enough to stop irregularities, he demanded cancellation of the licences of dealers involved in them.

He further alleged that some dealers, instead of running the business themselves, have rented out or transferred their dealerships to others. He urged the authorities to investigate this practice and take action against those violating the conditions. He also proposed imposing higher fines through mobile courts and, if necessary, amending the existing rules to ensure strict punishment for irregular dealers.

In reply, the agriculture minister rejected the allegation of a fertiliser crisis. He said there had never been a fertiliser crisis here, there is none now, and there is no possibility of one in the coming days either. According to the minister, the country's fertiliser stock is 35 percent higher than at this time last year.

However, the minister acknowledged that demand for non-urea fertilisers, especially diammonium phosphate (DAP), has increased in some border areas. He said that because prices are higher in neighbouring countries, opportunities for cross-border smuggling have been created for DAP, TSP and muriate of potash (MOP), so the risk of shortage is greater for these fertilisers.

The minister called on the local administration and law enforcement agencies to prevent the illegal movement of fertiliser across the border and said fertiliser consignments have been seized repeatedly. He said dealers who fail to collect their allocated fertiliser on time may be marked as defaulters, and legal action will be taken if corruption or any other irregularity is proven.

Issuing a stern warning to dealers, the minister said renting out or transferring a dealership is prohibited under government rules. He directed that during the current season dealers must open their fertiliser shops by 9am every day and cannot close before 5 to 6pm.

Chaired by Rajshahi's acting divisional commissioner Md. Rezaul Alam Sarkar, the event was attended by Department of Agricultural Extension director general Md. Abdur Rahim, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority executive director Md. Jahangir Alam Khan, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police commissioner Mohammad Faizul Kabir, deputy commissioner Kazi Shahidul Islam, senior officials of the agriculture, fisheries and livestock departments, leaders of fertiliser dealer associations from the eight districts, and journalists.